I stepped off my flight and into a mix of an old world romance novel and a modern day Cinderella story! Gosh, Vienna, Austria is my top city that I explored this summer! From the summer palaces to the dinners by the Danube river, Vienna had so much to offer!

The Food

Viennese meals: wiener schnitzel, vienna sausages, tafelspitz - usually involving some beef and potatoes - were most of what I enjoyed during the trip! My joy of visiting a new place is usually amplified by the food and Vienna had that in spades! When I wasn’t having the traditional Viennese meals, I was at a #froyo stand outside the museums, enjoying some of the most delicious yet ever so light #froyo! And yes, I did have my fill of coconut and gummy bear toppings!

The MuseumsThe museum of natural history and the museum of art history also boasted of Vienna’s European prowess. The sheer stature of these buildings provided a window into their might - both economically and culturally. The value that was placed on erecting buildings that will stand the test of time can be seen all over the city.

The ArtVienna to me is like a young man with an old soul. So much of the more recent buildings have a contemporary vibe to them; however, you can still feel the influence that the past has on this city. There was plenty of street art - both graffiti and some intentioned art work. The artists in Vienna to me have such freedom, you will find them spray painting a bridge and a few miles away walk into a sculpture of Mozart! This juxtaposition of young and old, classical and modern played all around the city.

The PriceVienna was a tad pricey. Being the frequent flyer that I am, I’m always converting currencies and as I paid for a meal or an entry ticket into an event, I found that there was a slightly higher than usual cost to fully enjoying all that this city has to offer. The Fair Vienna has probably one of the best city fairs that I’ve been to! It’s rare for me to take time and attend a local fair when on vacation but ladies and gentlemen, don’t go to Vienna and not at least get on a couple of rides! I never felt so alive when on vacation - at least in Europe! I felt like a child again: carefree, eager to try new things and completely unconcerned about the time. I ran around, danced to the tunes at various stalls and screamed my lungs out as I rode multiple rides!

Vienna reminded me to laugh, to cry, to fall in love and more importantly to be present. Have you travelled to a place that has made you feel this way?